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Aveeno Positively Radiant Brightening Scrub Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Aveeno Positively Radiant Brightening Scrub Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant This exfoliator is formulated around Cellulose to control oil. This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and re

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Aveeno Positively Radiant Brightening Scrub Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

This exfoliator is formulated around Cellulose to control oil.

This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

No key ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Glycerin

Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate

Decyl Glucoside

Cellulose

Sodium Chloride

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate

Sodium Hydroxide

Parfum

1,2-Hexanediol

Butylene Glycol

PEG-16 Soy Sterol

Tropolone

Glycine Soja Protein

Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Decyl Glucoside, Cellulose, Sodium Chloride, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, PEG-16 Soy Sterol, Tropolone, Glycine Soja Protein

Methylpropanediol

Salicylic Acid

Polysorbate 20

Camellia Oleifera Leaf

Tetrasodium EDTA

Water, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Camellia Oleifera Leaf, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

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The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

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Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
  4. 04Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
  5. 05Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
  6. 06Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
  7. 07The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure …
  8. 08Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
  9. 09Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  10. 10Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  11. 11Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
  12. 12Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
  13. 13This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
  14. 14Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  15. 15Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  16. 16Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
  17. 17Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
  18. 18It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
  19. 19Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
  20. 20It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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